Viral Isolates from Ixodid Ticks of Wild Animals in Kenya

Abstract

Approximately 10,000 ixodid ticks were collected over a period of 24 months from 11 species of wild African ungulates. The ticks, sorted by species, were inoculated intracerebrally into infant mice as pools for attempted virus isolation. A total of 11 isolates were made, 8 from 62 pools of Rhipicephalus pulchellus, 2 from 9 pools of Amblyomma variegatum and 1 from 6 pools of Amblyomma cohaerens. Seven isolates were identified as Kadam virus, 1 isolate showed serological relationship with Bhanja virus and 3 isolates, of one antigenic type, remained unidentified. Virus was not isolated from 25 pools of Rhipicephalus evertsi, 11 pools of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, 2 pools of Amblyomma lepidae, 9 pools of Haemaphysalis species and 4 pools of Hyalomma species.